Standish913.com has been blessed to do an exclusive interview with...
"Lauren Smith"!
Let's get into some exclusive questions...
STANDISH: What is the first thing you ever remember cooking?
LAUREN: When I was about seven years old, I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies to surprise my family. I thought baking soda and baking powder were the same thing… the cookies tasted like a flat salt brick. I hate baking to this day😅🤣
STANDISH: Who is someone you looked up to as a child & still do today?
LAUREN: My mom. She’s always supported all my crazy ambitions and made me see the beauty in everything. She’s my best friend.
STANDISH: What is something you hate doing in the kitchen?
LAUREN: baking.. I seriously hate it
STANDISH: What was the most nerve racking part of being on Next Level Chef?
LAUREN: Hair and makeup… I’m kidding. The grab at the platform was definitely the thing that got my blood pumping. There’s so much to see and in the blink of an eye the thing you were reaching for is gone. You have to think on your feet and be fast with the grab.
STANDISH: How was working with Gordon Ramsay?
LAUREN: Being in the same room with Chef Ramsay is something I could have never imagined, but cooking for him and learning from him… that’s something that I will never forget. Also, he is so kind and has the best energy.
STANDISH: Did you expect to land Next Level Chef?
LAUREN: I think my unique culinary background helped my chances of being on the show, but I was shocked when I got the call that I had been cast. I made a name for myself in the world of corporate aviation and cooking on private jets, but cooking for chefs I’ve looked up to for years on national television is… next level.
STANDISH: What is your favorite food for take out? Why?
LAUREN: I think I ordered Greek every day during filming… not think, I know I ate Mediterranean every day. I try to eat pretty healthy and stay away from heavy greasy foods. That’s why I could jump so high 😉
STANDISH: Tell the readers your reoccurring kitchen nightmare…
LAUREN: Cutting into that colossal lobster tail and seeing it was still opaque… the lobster was par cooked from the platform so it’s kind of a mystery as to how cooked it is inside. I was so proud of that dish and the complexity of the flavors with the coconut bergamot sauce. Unfortunately, I didn’t listen to my gut and I pulled the lobster sooner than I should have.
STANDISH: What is the most underrated cooking ingredient in your opinion?
LAUREN: Kombu is an ingredient I never knew I needed. I’ve started focusing on more Asian fusion cuisine and I love utilizing kombu to introduce umami flavors into my dishes. My favorite thing to make at the moment is different varieties of Dashi
STANDISH: What do you listen to while you chef it up?
LAUREN: That depends on the location. I travel so much for work so I like to get inspired by the local music and flair! I always try to incorporate something from the destination into my dishes and music inspires me. Or I’m just listening to Afro house music because it makes me dance💁♀️
STANDISH: How many times a week does the walk-in cooler hear your screams?
LAUREN: Never… I wish I had a walk-in… cooking on the jet I have nowhere to hide. It’s basically dinner and a show with me. My clients love watching me cook and after seeing the show I realized I sing/ talk to myself a lot… like an unreasonable amount
STANDISH: If you could change one thing in the world today, what would that be?
LAUREN: That’s a loaded question, but I would like to see an end to hunger. In this industry we see so much food waste. Thousands of dollars of perfectly good food is thrown away daily, especially in corporate aviation. It’s hard knowing that people are going to sleep hungry when there’s so much to share.
STANDISH: What are your social links?
LAUREN: follow me on Instagram @wanderlust_flight
Or on Gronda
Wanderlustflight.gronda.com
STANDISH: Anything else you'd like to include?
LAUREN: Thank you for having me as one of your guests. I would have never thought I would considered a celebrity chef ten years ago when I first started cooking on a jet. This has been such a wild ride and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next.
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